written by wpjo on 07/12/2020
Multi-exposure, remote electric shutter control (even RC if you can find one), winder, depth-control, timer, stable. What you see in the finder is what you get on your picture. Batteries are cheap and last very long. Classical but beautiful design. Holds perfectly well in your hand. Together with the CE-4S, the best camera Chinon produced. Just anything I could dream off. Absolutely easy in use and never missed a single shot with it. Have been using this camera for many years, and even when I bought later several Nikons (401, 601 and 801 and D60), I still prefer this Chinon. Only two details: when you learn the job with a manual (everything manual !) Rolleicord, any other camera has 'poor' picture quality. Forgive me, this was not a fair remark. And I see too many broken Chinon cameras on eBay. If not, I should have been rating it 5-stars.
written by 141Cox on 09/06/2014
Had This Camera Since The Early 80s It Was Cheaper Than The Pentax ME Super At The Time I Was Looking At Cameras And I Am glad That I Pick It Good Sharp Pics, Easy To Use And could Use pentax Lenses Still Have My Chiny ce4, Hope One Day Film Be come Fashionable again
written by on 27/03/2013
This camera has been with me everywher I've been in the world. Always took slides. I appreciated the Auto/Manual options as I have had occasion to use both. I have finally entered the digital age, though and want to sell. It is still in great shape and has the auto advance attachment with it.
written by on 14/07/2009
I owned a Chinon CE4 SLR camera for 19 years - until it was stolen seven years ago.
I would love to own one again as I particularly loved the multi-shot function. I created many many fun pictures in this way.
It was a very easy to use camera and there honestly wasn't anything I didn't like about it.
written by on 01/07/2009
"bulletproof" is often an overused adjective. My Chinon CE4 has circumnavigated the globe countless times. It's still a great camera, a collection of Pentax glass has helped for image quality. Love it, would never part with it.
written by on 18/06/2009
Have owned a Chinon Ce-4 camera for years and has always given excellent quality photos. Will miss it when I eventually go digital.
written by on 18/06/2009
Used a Chinon Ce-4 for years and always got perfect pictures. An absolutely cracking camera
written by on 16/01/2009
The Chinon Ce-4 is a durable solid camera. Ownwd one since 83, still great
written by on 04/12/2008
Had one of these cameras for years - fantastic photos
Brilliant camera can be used as a basic camera with excellent results or you can add different lenses and improve the pictures even more so.
Well recommend Chinon Ce-4.
written by on 26/06/2008
I am basically a Pentax fan owning an MX and an MZ-S for a long time. Unfortunately Pentax could not satisfy my need of having a basic electronic camera with classic big viewfinder (split screen/microprism collar), control dial (instead of digital interface) and a depth-of-filed preview lever (as I shoot most of the time with MF lenses). This led me to Chinon CE-4 (and later CE-4s). These cameras are simply great and spartan. No frills. And this is what you really need. Now after a couple years of first meeting with a CE-4 I already own three plus a CE-4s. Latter has a top shutter speed of 1/2000 which is an improvement over the original CE-4.
Though they are totally underrated there is a good point in this: you can get a 20-25 year old, trusty old workhorse for a bargain price. They may not be fancy in terms of having a big brand camera, but did I mention: I found what I needed at Chinon and not at Pentax!!! Have fun with this lovely camera!
written by clickey on 02/04/2005
The Chinon Ce-4 generally serves very well and is underrated in terms of performance. It is very cheap on eBay, so is good value for money. The features are good. The quality can be spectacular and many of the pictures taken with this camera is proof of this. The only thing that let's it down is the annoying LED's and the fact that it requires four LR44'S, which is a problem. However for the price and performance you will not be disappointed.
written by biggles44 on 07/03/2005
Looking for a second body to augment my old KX, I saw a Chinon Ce-4 on e-bay. I was amazed. It handled beautifully with all of the controls logically placed, viewfinder bright and crisp and a good, solid "Feel." In short, it felt right, and as any photographer will tell you, that is half the battle. The results, quite simply, were excellent. What you have here is an excellent camera which has been badly underrated for years because it comes from a small manufacturer.
written by William Quayle on 04/01/2004
The shutter on the Chinon Ce-4 has speeds from B-1000th of a second which
is average for a camera design of it's age. The camera
has a good iso range from 25-3200 iso. The camera is compatable
with most non-dedicated flash units and it is compatable with a
Chinon dedicated auto flashes S-280 S-180 S-240. The viewfinder
visability is ninty two percent which is about average for an SLR.
The camera has TTL Centre weighted metering and Led's will light up
in the viewfinder if you press very lightly on the shutter realise
button.
Featured on this camera is exposure componsation which goes up to 1EV stop
down to -1EV stop in 1/3 EV increaments. The metering system can be overeden
by switching away from auto mode which is coloured green in this case. If you decide
to do the metering manualy you set the correct exposure by amtching the flashing led with the
non flashing l.e.d to get the correct exposure.
This camera has stop down metering and a self-timmer which can do five or ten second
delayed action before the shutter is fired. The self-timmer is generally flawless though it
may not work properly due to the lack of use they normaly have. The exposure system is reliable
and will very occasionaly over or under expose a scene. I recoment this camera due to it's price
and the fact that it is an underated camera which is very capable of producing good results.
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Guest's Comment
Written on: 13/07/2011
I have one, my husbands who died a year ago this month. Very nice and many many lenses pk, and automatic computerized Popular flash, spectacular leather case with many many accessory items